Category: air travel

Air transport is important to any nation, people and organization. It is the fastest mode of transport that provides access to different cities in the world. However, the following are the award winner in 2016 airline awards:

Airline of the year :Air New Zealand has been rated as the best airline for the year 2016. The airline offers economy seats to its customers and also takes good care of all its customers, the airline has 10, 500 staff globally that work with passion to make Air New Zealand a great industry.

Best First Class: Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways won the award. The airways offers excellence, First Class and Business Class to its passengers. The First Class apartment is much more than a seat; it is exceptional product that stuns every passenger

.Best Business Class: Singapore Airlines is rated as the Best Business Class for the year 2016. In its business quality meals are served with wines, video or audio is also provided on demand to passengers. Noise canceling headphones and amenity are also provided to the customers. The seats in the Business Class also have seat pitch of at least 55 inch which can be transformed in to flat beds.

Best Premium Economy: Air New Zealand has won the Best Premium Economy. Premium Economy is that seat between Business and Economy Class; it is 30% expensive more than Economy class and 70% cheaper than Business Class. Many airline industries do not want to introduce Premium Economy because they believe it will reduce the passengers for Business Class. They believe it will downgrade Business Class, if introduced.

Best Economy: Air New Zealand is also considered as the Best Economy airline. The airline has excellent customer care. The customer service in Air New Zealand is very welcoming. The cabin crews are also efficient and friendly, due to the customer service from the cabin crew you will surely enjoy your flight no matter how long it is.

Best Low Cost Airlines There are 4 airlines that won this award this year because it is a competitive award. However, the 4 airlines that won the award are: Virgin America, Scoot, Kalula.com and Norwegian. These 4 airlines enable millions of people to travel by air by providing affordable flight for them.

Best Lounges: The Qantas Lounges won the award. The lounges provide complimentary food and beverages and the airline’s lounges have internet access that can handle the demand of what is lacking in many lounges.

Best Caterin: Qantas also won the award, the airline offer cheaper and quality meal when you compare it to other airline. It also provides opportunities to its numerous customers to order their meal online before ahead the flight.

Source: (airlinerating.com) it is the world’s safety and product rating website.

The best airlines in 2015 are voted for by travelers around the world.

Air transport is important to any nation, people and organization. It is the fastest mode of transport that provides access to different cities in the world. However, the following are the award winner in 2015 airline awards:

Qatar Airways wins the World’s Best Airline Award for third time in 5 years; Best Airline in the Middle East and World’s Best Business Class Airlines Seat.

Garuda Indonesia wins World’s Best Cabin Staff for second year running.

Emirates wins the World’s Best In-flight Entertainment and World’s Best First Class Comfort Amenities.

Singapore Airlines receives top Award for World’s Best Business Class. The Best Airline in Asia and the World’s Best First Class Airline Seat.

AirAsia wins the World’s Best Low-Cost airline award for 7th year running and Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia. The airline also wins World’s Best Low Cost Airline Premium Cabin and World’s Best Low Cost Airline Premium seat.

Aegean Airlines receives award Best Regional Airlines in Europe.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines wins Best Airline in Eastern Europe.

Air Arabia wins Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East.

Air Astana wins Best Airline in Central Asia/ India and it also wins, the Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia / India.

Air France receives World’s Most Improved Airline. It also receives the World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge Dining.

Traveling by air seems unsaved to a fairly large number of people due to what they see, hear or read. News on plane crashes make a big noise in the world, such news naturally stays longer in the mind of many fliers or people. In fact, it is a mind-blogging to many people. This may explain why the flying fear still remains in the heart of some people. Therefore, you may think that traveling by air is riskier than traveling on the road, but truly speaking; traveling by air is safer than traveling on the road.

However, it is interesting to note that, traveling by air is safer than traveling on the road. Why? It is because safety is the major concern of every airline industry and there’s no any other mode of transportation that does it better than air line industries. In fact, there is no other mode of transportation that can be fully monitored, investigated and scrutinized as we have in aviation industries. Truly speaking plane crashes are so rare when you compare it to road transport accidents.

According to World Health Organization, road traffic injuries caused an estimated 1.24 million deaths worldwide in the year 2010. With this estimation, it seems one person is killed in every 25 seconds. It is very rare or difficult to have this kind of estimation in air transport within a year. Why? It is because safety in aviation industries is not negotiable. It is a core value of any aviation industry in the world.

Furthermore, I wonder how some motorists drive recklessly on the road, reckless driving is a common habit among the motorists, but in air transport it is uncommon to see a reckless pilot, in fact, it is very rare if not impossible to see pilots showing a reckless disregard for the safety of others.

A good airport control also creates a better safety environment in aviation industries. Movement-detection monitors in airport, show every vehicle on runway, taxiway, and terminal gate, this helps the controllers to receive warnings of potential collisions. Therefore, a good airport traffic control helps to prevent unwanted collision in the airport.

From the above reasons, I hope you will also agree that traveling by air is safer than traveling on the road.

There are quite number of plane crashes around the world that could make one to doubt if travel by air is safer. In fact, every year some flyers are killed or injured in air crash. According to International Civil Aviation Organization, in 2012, there were 9 fatal accidents involving airliners causing 372 deaths. More so, on 10th of December, 2005; a Sosoliso Airlines DC-9 crashed in Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria, killing all the 103 occupants on board. Painful enough most passengers on board were school children travelling home for Christmas holidays. In addition, the recent missing of one of the Malaysia Airlines-flight MH370 still remains a mystery in the heart of many people. All of this news could make one to be panic and wonder what could be the major reason of a passenger plane crashing. However, the following are the major causes of plane crashes.

Pilot Error: At least not less than the halves of all plane crashes are caused by pilot error. In other words, pilot error may account for 50% of all plane crashes. Source: Accident statistics.

Examples of pilots’ error responsible for plane crashes

In the year 2012, Sukhoi Superject 100 crashed into Mount Salak in Indonesia due to the pilots’ error. The pilots took the aircraft on demonstration flight or test flight for its potential buyers and journalists, however, the aircraft had Terrain Awareness and Warning System( TAWS), but this system had been switched off by the pilots who erroneously belief that the computer was malfunctioning. Unknown to them that they were closer to the said mountain, painfully; the crew who would have be in the better position to raise alarm to the pilots were also distracted by conversation with their potential buyers in the cockpit. The aircraft crashed and all the 45 occupants on board died.

More so, on 4th of June, 2012 a plane crashed in Nigeria killed all the 153 passengers on board. According to the people familiar with the joint investigation by US and Nigerian officials it was revealed that the crash was likely caused by pilots’ failure to turn on certain fuel pumps or valves.

In addition, in 1987, an aircraft flying to Tokyo also crashed because of a pilot who has psychological problems put the plane engines into reverse mid flight.

However, the above given percentage may seems so high to accept having known that most plane crashes are always a fatal accident in which many innocent people may lose their lives. Hence, one may be tempted to cast all the blames on pilots. However when you think about many thinks that a pilot has to do or face when flying a plane, for instance, sometimes pilots navigate through dangerous weather, they response to mechanical issues, they also, execute a safe takeoff and landing to mention but a few. One may think otherwise not to blame pilots for all the plane crashes. Pilots are extremely well trained and highly experienced people before they are allowed to control an airliner, but they are not infallible. Hence, the saying, ‘to err is human’. Besides, not all plane crashes are caused by pilots’ error; it may also be caused by other errors or factors. For example on 22nd of June, 2000, in Shitai, China, Wuhan AL plane was struck by lightning causing the plane to explode and crash. On 15th of January, 2009 in New York, New York a US Airways ditched in Hudson River after collision with Canadian Geese and there after losing the both engines. Source: Accident statistics

Mechanical Error: Another reason for plane crash is mechanical error. An aircraft could be likened to a machine; sometimes a machine could suddenly develop a mechanical fault. If a plane flying on the air and suddenly develops a mechanical fault that the pilots could not easily handle, you can imagine what could happen to such a plane. Let us also imagine when a plane flies on the air and a critical system in the plane fails, in such a condition pilots may be at the mercy of the plane, you can imagine what could happen to such a plane. I think it takes a miracle for such plane to land safely. Mechanical error may also occur as a result of flaw in the plane’s design. For instance, in 1955, a West African Airways flight to Nigeria crashed because of the flawed in wing design that led to metal fatigue crack and wing failure.

Mechanical failure may also occur due to the any undesirable outside circumstances that may affect or damage the plane e.g. lightning, birds etc. for instance, on 10th of October, 2001, in Off Valencia, Spain; an electrical power of an aircraft belonging to Flightline was lost due to a lightning strike.

Mechanical error accounts for about 22% of all aviation accidents. Source: Accident statistics.

Examples of mechanical errors responsible for plane crashes

In 1985 a Boeing 747, Japan Airlines flight 123, crashed into a mountain due to mechanical fault killing 520 people on board. The investigators found out that the rear pressure bulkhead of the plane ruptured because it was badly repaired and this led to total loss of control.

In addition, in 1997, in Russia an aircraft, belonging to Russian Air Force was unable to coordinate operation of the high pressure compressors, due to design flow.

On the 12th of August, 2001, Air Transat plane ran out of fuel due to improperly installed part that caused fuel to leak from the aircraft. Source: Accident statistics.

Weather Factor: Bad weather can be dangerous for a pilot to fly a plane, at such a time most planes are grounded at the air port. In other words, they are not allowed to fly when the weather conditions are bad, such weather conditions include heavy fogs, heavy winds, and violent storms, among others.

Lightening strike can be so dangerous; its flash alone can cause temporary blindness to the pilots, you can imagine how dangerous it would be if a pilot flying or piloting a plane fail to see in few minutes due to a lightning strike, most especially, when the plane is already at the high speed in the sky. This is one of the unwanted and undesirable natural challenges a pilot has to face in his choosing career. Therefore, making a pilot a ‘scapegoat’ for all plane crashes may be highly unfair.

Moreover, lightening strike has an evil potential so to say, to disable an aircraft in many ways. For example, in 1988 in Mulheim, Germany, NFD aircraft suffered a complete electrical failure when it was struck by lightning. Source: Accident statistics.

A bad weather indeed can cause a plane crash a good example is an Indonesian plane in 2010, with 103 passengers on board crashed into a nearby hillside due to bad weather conditions.

Sabotage Factor: A flight may turn out to be a sabotage flight, this may happen when a plane is hijacked by passenger(s) who manage to smuggle dangerous weapon(s) onto plane. For example on the 23rd of November, 1996, an air craft belonging to Ethiopian AL was hijacked and ran out of fuel and thereafter crashed in the ocean. Another good example was that of September 11th, 2001, in US. Saboteurs may also go to the extent of detonating bomb in aircraft this evil act was responsible for certain percentage of plane crashes in the world. For instance, in 1994, Alas Chiricamas aircraft crashed after a bomb exploded aboard. Sometimes, a plane can be shot down by the saboteurs. Source:Accident statistic.

Human Error: many other reasons for plane crashes can be classified as human errors. In other words, plane crashes are also traceable to costly mistakes of man. Such errors may come as a result of fuel starvation; air traffic control error; passenger error; etc. however, let us examine the following examples for each of these human errors for better understanding.

Errors due to fuel starvation

In Russian 1996, Krasnoyarskie AV crashed into a mountain after running out of fuel.

More so, in Pakistan 1998, Ariana Afghan AL plane ran out of fuel and crashed into a mountain after being diverted to their alternate due to bad weather.

In Italy, 2005, Tuninter aircraft also ran out of fuel due to the maintenance crew error, they wrongly, installed a fuel gauge for a ATR-42 on the ATR-72. Source: Accident statistics.

Errors due to air traffic control

In 1991 in Los Angeles, California, US, there was a plane crash between USAir aircraft and Skywest aircraft due to the Air Traffic Control error. It was discovered that the ATC cleared a plane to land while the runway was already occupied by another aircraft.

Also in 1996, there was a plane crash in Lagos State, Nigeria, due to the controller error who thought he had cleared to aircraft to the correct altitude but unfortunately, he didn’t.

There was another plane crash on the 26th 0f September, 1997, in Buah Nabar, Indonesia. It was revealed that the Air Traffic Control was erroneously, directing an Indonesia plane known as Garuda Indonesian AL, in a wrong direction into mountainous terrain. Source: Accident statistics.

Passenger’s Error/fire accidents

Accident Statistics also shows that some plane crashes were caused by fire incident.

For instance, CAAC plane crashed in Guangzhou, China in 1982. It was later discovered that a passenger cigarette caused a fire in the cabin which led to an oxygen tank exploding.

In addition, a fire broke out in the rear cargo hold of Aeroflot aircraft, and crashed in pervouralsk, Russia, in 1990.

I read the story of a man who said he has overcome the fear of flying by carrying a parachute on every flight. My question is why is he carrying a parachute on every flight? If I’m right, I think the man in question has not really overcome the fear of flying in his mind, he is one of the most fearful fliers. The reason of carrying a parachute on every flight is nothing else than a fear of flying. It is a wrong assumption for him to say he has overcome it. Indeed, the fear of flying still remains in him.

Many first-time fliers suffer from fear of flying or aerophobia, although some try to hide it better than the others yet, the fear of flying still remains in their minds. It is argued that at least one out of 6 adults has a fear of flying. Even some airline crews, flight attendants and pilots also have either a fear of flying or heights. So, why not you, you may want ask, everyone has some degree of aerophobia.

A strong Assertion on Flight Safety

A professional pilot Andrew Brookes, a former Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot who has also written a good materials on flight safety and he was once voted as the Defense Aerospace journalist of the year in 2004 and 2006, base on his experience as a professional pilot, he says “the technology is so good today that pilot is not really necessary. The technology exists now for an airliner to fly without a pilot from London to Beijing. Today plane highly ever fail- I can’t think of a (recent) accident caused by engines failing or wings dropping off.” He concluded. This is a good statement from a good professional pilot that shows that air transport is safer, even than road transport yet; the flying fear still remains in the minds of some fliers. The big question here is why the fear of flying still remains in the mind of some people?

More so, a report has also shown that the chance of any passenger dying in a plane crash is 1 in 11 million, this is a very low figure and in percentage it means 0.00001%. This also shows that the air transport is safer and the chance of any passenger dying in plane crash is very slim therefore, one would have expected that this safety report or research will chase away the fear of flying in the mind of so many fliers, but this is not so, as many fliers most especially the first-time fliers still accommodate the flying fear in their minds.

Flying Fear: One Major Factor of Causation

Despite, the strong assertion from experts that air transport is safer and the chance of a passenger dying in a plane crash is very slim if not impossible, many people still find it easy to be afraid when travelling by air. One will wonder why this common fear in the mind of many people who intend to travel by air.

The major reason is that we are subconscious human being; man can be influenced easily by what he hears or sees. In other words, things happening around us can influence are behavior. Why? It is because we are subconscious beings. We are very good in risk assessment especially when it has to do with human life. For instance, a medical doctor who is trained to treat human is given more attention in the society than a medical doctor who is trained to treat animals, why? It is because human doctor saves human life, not because human doctor is more difficult than veterinary doctor; in fact, I got to know that veterinary medicine is even more difficult to practice; it is not easy to treat different kind of animals that do not speak your language. In addition, do you know that most planes that crash while flying in the air are always fatal? Some crashed into the ocean while some crashed in the jungle. Such areas are not easily assessable which make it difficult for rescue team to rescue all the victims or to recover all their dead bodies. Therefore, people may think twice or be panic when flying in the air.

For instance, the sudden disappearance of an Indonesian plane MH 370 still remains the world biggest problem in aviation that creates a deep concern and a great fear in the minds of most fliers. It is difficult to imagine that in this century of a great technology a mighty plane of a 270 tones passenger jet can disappear in the air and still remains untraceable till today.

However, with this news or incident it may be really difficult for someone to travel by air without being panic, even if the chance of dying in a plane crash move from 1 in 11 million to 1 in 11 billion yet the fear of flying will still remain in the mind of some people simply because we are subconscious beings. For more understanding, do you know that after the September 11, attack in US, many people avoid traveling by air in 2001? The fear of flying was too strong in them as at that time, what had happen has influence their behavior. Why? It is because they are subconscious human beings, what happens in our environment can really influence our behavior either positively or negatively.

A Mad Man is also a Subconscious being.

One more example, often the time I have noticed that some mad men around the street do take their time whenever they want to cross the road; they look both left and right of the road to ensure that the road is safe for them, before crossing the road at will. I wonder how a mad man could make such a conscious effort to cross the road at will. Even though he is mad, yet his mental faculties are not dulled to note that a vehicle can taken away his life, hence he makes a conscious effort to cross the road safely at will. Why? It is because he is a subconscious human being. Though he is a mad man yet the fear of dying in road accident still remains in him. Although, some of them may prove otherwise, they may cross the road without even looking for the oncoming vehicle. This explains why they are called mad men.

Flying Fear: – One Major Solution: Choose not to Fear.

Fear may come as a result of what you hear or see or as a result of what has happened in your environment and if care is not taken such fear may be with you for the rest of your life. What you fear may seem so sure and it can influence your behavior negatively. People who fear may find it difficult to become what they really want to be.

However, the major solution to the fear of flying is to choose not to fear. If you are fearful fliers, all you need to do to cure the fear in you is by choosing not to fear. Everyone has a choice to make. You have an in built power to choose what you like. No one can make such a choice for you; you need to choose it yourself. This is the way you to set yourself free.

How is it possible?

I guess you may want to ask me the above question that is why I also think along to answer you beforehand. I remember that I used to fear to travel to school by road when I was a student in one of the polytechnics in my country, Nigeria. My first fear came as a result of a series armed robberies attack on my school mates when traveling on the road while, my second fear came as the result of high rate of accident on the same road. The journey to the town where my school is located was about 2 hours journey, but because of the bad condition of the road then the journey always took us 3 hours: 30 minutes. Therefore, whenever I wished to travel home or to campus I always over whelmed with fear of armed robbery attack or road accident. This was really affecting my behavior, because each time I wished to travel to school or travel for holidays, I would fast and pray very hard for journeying mercy and ensured that I did not commit any sin before the journey and during the period of the journey, why? Because I thought we may be attacked by robbers and I may lose my life but I don’t want to lose heaven so I kept myself holy before and during the journey. In other words, the fear of losing heaven also, gripped my heart. Can you imagine my thought? You may think I was too spiritual, no! I was not but, a fearful passenger.

So when the fear of traveling to school became a burden in my mind I made up my mind not to fear, so the next time I needed to travel back to school I made a simple prayer without fasting and I embarked on the journey and I arrived safely, nothing happen to me. I did the same thing almost 3 times still nothing happen to us on road, so consciously or unconsciously the fear in me disappear completely till I finished my program. Why? Because I chose not to fear.

Your attitude is more important than fact and figure.

Furthermore, no one wants to die untimely; hence, the statistics and facts on plane crashes can make you to fear or frighten you. You need to have positive attitude. “Attitude is more important than fact” says a professional psychiatrist, D. Karl Menninger. Your right attitude will surely set you free from such news or statistics, so when you are flying in the air be bold; be happy; be comfortable to mention but a few. These are the right attitudes you need to develop in your mind. Attitude is that little thing that shows a big difference, says an adage.

Until you choose not to fear, you may remain a fearful flier and a fear over time may lead to anxiety and anxiety over time may lead to hypertension, and hypertension may lead to untimely death if not properly managed, a delicate disease that has no cure, many are hypertensive patients today just because they choose to fear. In fact, if there’s anything you need to fear at all, it must be the fear itself. You can set yourself free now by choosing not to when you flying in the air!